Hey friends!! Today is all about Super Duper 8! Over the last year, we have been working hard to create a course that will help videographers and photographers to add this wonderful medium into their workflow. The nostalgia of shooting super 8 films, the tangibility in the actual film, and the fun! Super 8 awakens something inside of our souls and we want to share it with you!
Do you know that feeling when you find a photo of yourself and someone you love at the back of the drawer or bottom of a box? The photo is never perfect, most likely there is an immense amount of grain, bad hair, and a questionable wardrobe selection. Thank you 1990’s perm… You from 10 years ago didn’t love that photo but you today fell in love with the snapshot that holds a younger version of yourself. Sit with that moment and take it in.
This is us! One of our first photos. We were a couple of weirdos even back then. Is this photo great? Yes and no. It is pixilated, the color is so bad, and Madison is too white for on-camera flash. Period! What this photo does have is the early friendship that we were building, a weird moment at The Neighborhood, a bar where we would play ping pong after work, a headband that I made Felicia for a trip she was taking, and my all-time favorite leather jacket. Man, I miss that jacket!
When we film Super 8 there’s a layer of nostalgia not only from it simply looking like film when we see the scans from the lab, but also in the entire process. Super 8 has the power to make every moment a bit more romanticized. The gain, the imperfect moment, the silent laughter, the emotion, all of it is so powerfully raw and real. Don’t get us wrong, digital is wonderful and we definitely believe that the best camera you have is the one that is closest to you but looking at our moments and the moments of clients and friends, more often than not the ones that are all-time favorites are the ones that bring that instant nostalgia to the surface of our memories. The silence that is held in the capture allows you and the people that you are with to freely remember the moment with your narration guiding the images on the screen. It allows you to sink back into this distant time that was so real years ago.
The very act of shooting a roll of film is entirely nostalgic, from holding the camera to finding the focus, releasing the shutter, and hearing the film advance. It’s really hard to look at Super 8 with the same judgmental eye the way you would with digital. As creatives, we are the hardest on ourselves and what we create. Film on its own is a powerful way to slow down, be present, and allows you to be thankful for the hiccups that may come with the guessing game of this craft. Light leaks, jitters, grain, all of it is a part of the magic that is Super 8.
There’s also really nothing like being the person that is filming the Super 8, because it almost takes you out of a vendor role and puts you more in a friendship role. Almost as if you’ve entered the family as another member capturing memories. These cameras are instant conversation starters. We can’t tell you how many times a guest has come up to us with a story of their childhood about these cameras. The sound is a powerful trigger for a lot of people. These memories are so real and it is so wonderful to have a deep connection with a stranger all because we pulled out a film camera.
Our love of film goes deep down to our core and with each email from our lab that the scans are ready we fall a little bit deeper into this world. It is a magical process and we can’t wait to show you how to get started but first, and most importantly…. the Super Duper 8 bloopers reel!
Enroll in our SUPER DUPER 8 course today!
Your besties!
xoxo....Maddy and Felicia